


Between the Stars

by Kittens



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Brief Mentions of Blood, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22475800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittens/pseuds/Kittens
Summary: The Finalizer's medical team does not want to deal with Kylo Ren. When he ends up injured during a mission, it's up to Hux to take care of him. It's not exactly what Hux is good at, but for Kylo it means everything.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 14
Kudos: 198
Collections: Kylux Positivity Week 2020





	Between the Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [[授翻]群星之间 | Between the Stars](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22601287) by [NykoKaamos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NykoKaamos/pseuds/NykoKaamos)



Kylo collapsed on the ground. He’d killed his opponent, but he’d been stronger than Kylo expected and he hadn’t come out of the fight unscathed. His injuries were painful, but they weren’t life threatening. He reached out to his Knights, checking to make sure they were still alive.

Vicrul and Trudgen had been with him until he ordered them ahead, and he could sense that they were still fighting somewhere. The other Knights had separated earlier and Kylo could sense that they were all still alive, but even more distant. That meant he’d have to drag himself back to his ship.

As he was standing up, a First Order shuttle flew overhead, but Kylo didn’t pay much attention to it until it landed right in front of him. He glared at it, angry that it was in his way. When he saw who was coming off the shuttle, he wasn’t surprised. Of course Hux would inconvenience him.

“Ren,” Hux said, looking him over. Kylo tried to stand up so he’d be just a little taller than Hux but he was in too much pain and nearly collapsed to the ground.

“What do you want?” he managed to spit out.

“I’m here to collect you,” Hux said. “Now let’s go.”

Hux took Kylo’s arm and tried putting it over his shoulder, but Kylo pushed him away. He didn’t need his help. It was tempting to ignore him entirely and make it back to his own shuttle, but that was a long walk and Kylo knew he’d only make his injuries worse. He managed to make it onto Hux’s shuttle, and he was at least satisfied that he was dragging quite a bit of dirt inside Hux’s formerly pristine shuttle.

Kylo laid down across the nearest bench, but he couldn’t relax. Not with Hux standing right there. Hux would kill him if he thought he could get away with it. Even if he wasn’t planning on murder, Kylo knew he needed to be careful around him, especially in a weakened state.

“How severe are your injuries?” Hux asked once they had taken off.

“None of your business.”

“Unfortunately, it is,” Hux said. “The medical staff has put in a specific request that you not be taken to them unless absolutely necessary, and as I am tired of spending the credits to replace the medical droids, I have to agree. So. How severe are your injuries?”

“It’s nothing.”

“I wouldn’t call it that, but as long as you don’t die, I suppose I don’t really care if you’re in pain.”

Neither of them spoke until after Kylo felt they had landed back on board the _Finalizer_. Kylo started to get up, but Hux pushed him back down and he couldn’t help but wince in pain. 

“Since you don’t want to talk, a med droid is coming to check you out to tell me the extent of these injuries and whether you need care. You will not destroy the droid, Ren. Understood?”

“I don’t have to listen to you,” Kylo growled. 

“And I can go and dump you right back on the surface and let your people take care of you. I’m sure they’re very skilled in tending to injuries.”

“I’m sure they’re at least as good as you,” Kylo said. At least the Knights wouldn’t intentionally try to hurt him, although Kylo would rather take care of his injuries himself.

Once again, they fell back into silence until the droid arrived. As soon as it started to poke at him, Kylo wanted to throw it into the nearest wall, but if he did that, Hux would start yelling at him and he really didn’t want to listen to that. He just wanted to get back to his quarters and sleep off his injuries.

He let the droid do a quick examination, but when it was finished, the droid didn’t tell Kylo what was wrong. Instead, it turned to Hux. Kylo sat up, frowning. Wasn’t the droid supposed to be talking to him?

“He has two fractured ribs, puncture wounds on his right leg and torso, possible head trauma, and other minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises. It is my recommendation that he have someone watch him for at least 36 hours. If that is not possible, checking in on him every four hours will suffice.”

“Thank you,” Hux said. “His care will be my responsibility. Have a medkit sent to his quarters with everything I will need to treat his injuries.”

“I can treat them myself,” Kylo said. He tried to stand but was still hurting. It seemed to be even worse after having laid down. He knew he could manage to make it back to his quarters. The pain would fuel the dark side and he would manage to get back on rage alone if necessary.

“And risk you dying because you have internal bleeding?” Hux asked. “I don’t think so. I’m sure Snoke will find a way to blame me for your death, so I intend to do everything I can to prevent that.”

“I don’t need your help,” Kylo said as he made another attempt to get to his feet. He managed to stay upright, but it hurt. 

“Yes, but you’re going to get it regardless. Now you can either shut up and accept it or you can keep complaining about it, but I will be taking care of you. I don’t imagine it’s pleasant to talk as much as you do with those fractured ribs.”

“You’re the one who talks too much,” Kylo grumbled. He hated to admit that Hux was right, but talking was painful. He could use that pain to make himself stronger and had there been a real need to, Kylo would have done exactly that, but he just wanted to rest and wanted to get to his quarters in the least painful way possible.

Hux walked with him, and although he didn’t try to support him again, he was quick to put a hand on him whenever he stumbled. Kylo hated it but didn’t argue. There really was no reason for Hux to touch him - if Kylo actually fell and Hux was in his way, Kylo would end up dragging Hux down as well.

Once they had made it to Kylo’s quarters, he sat down on the couch. He started to remove his boots, but it was painful to bend over to do so. Fortunately, Kylo had other tricks he could use. He used the Force to remove his boots and then he laid down on the couch, not feeling like going to his bed.

“What are you doing?” Hux asked. Kylo had almost forgotten he was there.

“What’s it look like?”

“It looks like you’re hoping to make your injuries worse. You’re covered in blood, dirt, and who knows what else. You need to get yourself cleaned up or you’ll end up with an infected wound.”

“They’ve got medicine for that,” Kylo said. 

“That’s expensive. Now get into the refresher and get yourself cleaned up.”

“You’re the one who said you’d take care of me. You do it.” That would be the end of that conversation. Kylo closed his eyes, but he never had a chance to fall asleep. Hux had grabbed him by the front of his tunic and was trying to pull him up.

“The fuck are you doing?” Kylo growled.

“I said I’d take care of you, so fine. Let’s get this over with.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Do you think I would joke? Now get up and get these filthy clothes off or I will cut them off of you and sent them to the incinerator.”

Kylo wanted to see Hux do it, but he also didn’t want to have his clothes ruined anymore than they already were. He sat up and started to remove his clothes as he made his way to the refresher, dropping them on the floor as he went. He had stripped down to his pants and undershirt by the time he’d made it to the refresher, and those layers were unfortunately stuck to his body with dried blood. Pulling on it just made it hurt, but Kylo was ready to simply deal with it. He quickly pulled his shirt off, unable to stop a whimper as he ripped the fabric away from the wound.

“You idiot,” Hux said. Kylo hadn’t noticed Hux had followed him into the refresher. “I would think you of all people would know how to take care of yourself after being injured. Stop pulling at that.”

Kylo had been starting to take his pants off, but he stopped, his attention on Hux. He’d always simply ripped the clothes away and did his best to ignore the pain, but he was curious about what Hux had in mind. Kylo watched as Hux took a small towel and wet it in the sink. He then pressed it over Kylo’s wound. He held it there for several moments then started to wipe at the injury.

“Now try taking them off,” Hux said. Kylo stared at him for a moment, thinking he might want to leave the room, but he stayed right where he was. “You told me to get you clean. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

Kylo removed his pants and then went over to his bathtub. He immediately laid down in it. Or he did the best he could. His bathtub was larger than most on the ship but he was still to large to lay down in it. But he at least made himself as comfortable as he could.

Hux walked over to him and turned the water. Kylo yelped as the cold water hit his body and scrambled to get away, although he didn’t get very far before Hux turned the water off. He glared up at Hux, but didn’t have the energy to do anything else.

“Oops,” Hux said with a smirk. He turned the water on, but it was at least warm the second time and Kylo was almost able to relax. The only thing preventing him from doing that was the fact that Hux was right there. He had no idea what Hux’s plan was, and all he could do was watch.

“Why do you have so many products and why are none of them regulation?” Hux asked as he looked over the soaps and shampoos that Kylo had.

“That regulation stuff is terrible.” It didn’t smell great and it wasn’t great on his hair or skin. 

“Well, what am I supposed to use on you?” Hux said as he picked up a bottle.

“That’s shampoo,” Kylo said. “The green bottle. That’s soap.”

He hadn’t really thought about Hux’s specific wording until he put some of the shampoo in his hand and started washing Kylo’s hair. Kylo hadn’t really thought that Hux would actually wash him - he thought he’d stand back and scowl while supervising. Once Kylo got over the shock that Hux was running his hands through his hair, he wanted to push him away.

But he couldn’t remember the last time anyone had touched him in such a way and it felt really nice. Kylo didn’t want Hux to stop. He hated that it was Hux, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop him. Kylo let out a soft whimper as he felt Hux’s fingers running across his scalp.

“Head injury?” Hux asked.

“No.” As soon as he spoke, Kylo realized he should have lied. Saying he had a head injury would be far better than admitting the truth. “It’s… it’s nothing.”

“Well, then I suppose you won’t mind if I do this,” Hux said, pressing harder against his skull. Kylo couldn’t help but moan. “Idiot,” Hux muttered.

Hux pulled his hands away and rinsed the shampoo out of his hair before grabbing the soap and tending to his wounds. It stung, but Hux wasn’t trying to make it more painful as he cleaned the dirt out of his wounds. The pain was worth it too since it meant Hux was touching him.

Once Hux had finished cleaning him, he turned the water off and then threw a towel at Kylo. As he sat up and started to dry off, he couldn’t help but be disappointed. He’d wanted Hux to dry him off as well. It wasn’t that he wanted Hux. He just wanted someone to touch him.

“Almost done,” Hux said as he helped him out of the tub. “Just got to finish tending to your wounds.”

Kylo leaned against Hux as they headed out of the refresher. He didn’t know when the last time he’d been so close to someone else. Probably one of the Knights at some point, but they didn’t really touch each other that much. Not like what he was doing with Hux. 

Hux guided Kylo to his bed and had him sit down. He walked off and started going through Kylo’s things. Kylo wanted to tell him to stop it, but it wasn’t as if he cared that much. Soon, Hux threw a pair of underwear at him and then he walked out of the room. He didn’t leave his quarters - Kylo could still sense that he was near.

Kylo put his underwear on. Had he been on his own, he would have simply fallen asleep naked. Of course, his plan had been to fall asleep dirty on the couch. Hux didn’t seem like he planned on leaving anytime soon and Kylo thought it was best if he had clothes on. Too bad Hux didn’t give him very much. His dirty clothes were still on the floor, but he didn’t want to put those back on. Instead, he used the Force to pull a pair of loose pants and a shirt towards him. He was pulling the pants on when Hux came back in the room.

“What are you doing?” Hux asked. He walked over to him, setting some sort of case on the bed next to him. He pulled the pants away from Kylo.

“What are _you_ doing?” Kylo asked. It should have been obvious that Kylo was trying to get dressed, but he couldn’t figure out what Hux was up to.

“I haven’t treated your wounds yet,” Hux said. He opened up the case and Kylo saw it was filled with medical supplies. He took out a tube of bacta gel and took the lid off. Hux looked over at Kylo’s leg and touched the area around the wound.

Kylo tried not to think about how nice it felt to have Hux’s hands on him. It stung as he applied the bacta to his injury, but more than anything, it felt wonderful. Hux’s was surprisingly gentle as he treated his wound and then wrapped his leg in a bandage. 

“I don’t mean to hurt you,” Hux said. “Lie down so I can get the other one.”

“You’re not hurting me,” Kylo said as he followed Hux’s instructions. 

“There’s tears in your eyes,” Hux said, glancing up towards his face before focusing back on his side. He started to rub some bacta into those wounds. “Like I said, I don’t mean to hurt you, but there’s no way around it.”

Kylo lifted a hand to his eyes, wiping away the tears he hadn’t even realized were there. It wasn’t the pain causing him to cry - he’d stopped crying over pain a long time ago. What he wasn’t used to was someone caring for him. He’d had medical droids treat his injuries before, but he’d never had another person do it.

He found himself relaxing with Hux’s hands on him. As he worked the bacta into the wound, Hux rested one hand on his stomach. Kylo found himself trembling under his touch. It was too much for him to handle. He hadn’t been touched like that in years. In that moment, it was the only thing he wanted.

“I’m almost done,” Hux said. Soon, Hux pulled his hands away and Kylo couldn’t help but whine at the loss. He wanted Hux’s hands on him and never wanted him to stop touching him. Hux started to bandage the wound, but he seemed to be trying to touch Kylo as little as possible while he did so. 

Kylo hated that Hux was almost touching him. He could feel Hux’s fingers lightly grazing over his skin and it wasn’t nearly enough. Kylo needed more, but then, Hux was done.

“That wasn’t too bad, was it?” Hux asked. 

“Hux,” Kylo said with a whine. He could feel himself crying and it was pointless to try to stop it. 

“What’s wrong with you now?” Hux asked with a sigh. “I’ve treated the injuries the best I could. There’s not much else I can do for you. There are some painkillers in the kit if you’d like those.”

“No. I don’t need that.”

“Well, then there’s nothing I can do.”

“Yes.”

“If there’s something you need, you’ll need to tell me what it is. Unlike some people, I can’t read minds.”

“Hux,” Kylo said. He didn’t know how to tell him what he wanted. It sounded stupid, even in is own head. How could he ask for Hux to touch him? The only thing he could do was reach out and take his hand.

“What are you doing?” Hux tried to pull away, but Kylo held on and then placed Hux’s hand on his chest and held it there. He loosened his grip but Hux didn’t pull away. For a few moments, they stayed just like that, looking at each other with Hux’s hand on Kylo’s chest.

“I suppose you did hit your head pretty hard, didn’t you?” Hux asked.

“My head’s fine,” Kylo said. 

“Right. Well, you should get some rest. I’ll be here if you need anything.” Hux pulled his hand away and Kylo reached out for him without thinking about it. Hux started to move back, but then put a hand on Kylo’s shoulder.

Kylo wanted more, needed more. He picked up Hux’s hand and placed it on his cheek. He closed his eyes as he pushed against Hux. Kylo wanted Hux to keep touching him and never stop. He needed him to touch him everywhere, with more than just his hand. 

Without really meaning to, he found himself pulling Hux towards him with the Force. As soon as Hux was close enough, he wrapped his arms around him and held him close. Hux swore and tried to get away, but Kylo refused to let him go.

“Idiot,” Hux growled, still struggling. “You’re going to make your injuries worse.”

Kylo knew that Hux was right - it hurt to hold Hux against his body and he loosened his grip on him. He expected Hux to stand up, but instead, he only moved so he was laying on Kylo’s less injured side, but staying close enough that Kylo was content.  
“Is this what you’ve been wanting?” Hux asked. He sat up slightly and stroked the side of Kylo’s face, and he could only nod. 

He realized then how dangerous of a situation he’d put himself in. He’d been so desperate to be touched that he hadn’t even considered the exact person who he’d pulled into his bed. Armitage Hux was a dangerous person and not to be trusted. As close as he was, Hux could easily slit Kylo’s throat. Would he dare risk Snoke’s wrath by murdering him? Kylo wasn’t confident that he wouldn’t. 

Hux started to sit up more, but Kylo held onto him. Maybe it was a bad idea to hold Hux so close, but Kylo needed someone to touch him. And Hux was the only person who seemed willing to do so.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Hux said. “Just give me a moment.”

Kylo reluctantly let go of him and Hux sat up, but he didn’t leave Kylo’s side. Instead, he removed his belt and his uniform top before lying back down next to him. To Kylo’s surprise and relief, he also removed the blade strapped inside his sleeve.

“I’m still not convinced you don’t have a brain injury,” Hux said. “But I must admit, I do like seeing you like this. I suppose I should enjoy this while I can.”

“You like this?” That surprised Kylo, but it made sense. Why else would Hux be there if he didn’t like it? He certainly wouldn’t be doing anything for Kylo.

“No, you idiot. I hate laying in bed next to you. It’s the worst thing I could possibly imagine.”

“You’re such an asshole,” Kylo grumbled. 

They remained silent for a while and Kylo closed his eyes. He wanted to go to sleep but he couldn’t fall asleep. All he could think about was the fact that Hux wanted to be with him. That made no sense. Hux hated him. 

“Why?” Kylo asked.

“Why what?” Hux mumbled. He had his head resting on Kylo’s shoulder and he didn’t even lift it to look at him.

“I always thought you hated me.”

“I do hate you,” Hux said. “At least I do most of the time. But you’re not so bad like this. When you’re needy and wanting someone to hug you. I never expected that from you, but I kind of like it.”

Kylo started to wonder if he did hit his head harder than he thought.. Did Hux just say he liked him when he wanted to be held? Would he be open to doing that more?

“What if I was always like this?” Kylo asked. “Would you like me?”

“I might. But I know this won’t last. You’ll recover and go back to your usual insufferable self.”

Kylo reached up to stroke the side of Hux’s face. He couldn’t prove that he wasn’t just acting strange because of a head injury, but he hoped Hux would give him a chance to show him. He didn’t want to fight with Hux anymore. The only thing Kylo wanted was to hold him.

“We can stay like this,” Kylo said. “For as long as you want.”

“You do get into enough fights,” Hux said. “Maybe if you keep hitting your head, we can.”

Hux lifted his head from Kylo’s shoulder and looked down at him. He lightly traced the outline of his jaw with his fingers and Kylo couldn’t help but shudder at the gentle touch. “Sensitive, aren’t you?”

“Hux -”

“Shh.” Hux pressed his lips against Kylo’s, making it impossible to speak any further. Kylo didn’t want to say anything anyway. He just wanted to lay there and enjoy the kiss. Sadly, it didn’t last nearly as long as he would have liked.

“I do hope this can be a thing,” Hux said, barely pulling away from Kylo. He was so close that Kylo could feel Hux’s breath on him. “If you’re not just suffering from trauma, I really would like us to continue on like this.”

“You’ve wanted this for a while,” Kylo said. Now that he thought about it, he’d noticed it before, felt strange things in the Force from Hux before. He just never realized what it all meant.

“Yes. Ever since that first time I saw you without that stupid mask.”

Kylo smiled and lifted his head up to kiss Hux again. It was much shorter than their first kiss and after, Kylo felt exhausted. He dropped back to the bed and closed his eyes, finally ready to sleep. “I’m yours,” he mumbled as he fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

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